Starting mechanism for explosion-engines.



A. I. CLARK.

STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAN. 8. I909.

1,165Q8Q9. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

WITNESSES l/VVE/VTOR ArthurlCZark &' BY SM KEMI ATTORNEY rarer opinion.

ARTHUR I. CLARK, OF EDGEWOOD, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO FRED L. SMITH,FRANK W. GALE, EMILE MAEBTENS, AND JOHN M. HOWARD, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODEISLAND, J. CLIFFORD TAYLOR, 0F CRANSTON, RHODE ISLAND, AND WIL- LIAM T.LAWRENCE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS;

STARTING MECHANISM FOR EXPLOSION-ENGINES.

Application filed March 8, 1909. Serial No. 481,896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR I. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Edgewood, in the town of Cranston, in the county ofProvidence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Starting Mechanism for Explosion-Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in starting mechanism forinternal combustion engines, and has for its object to provide a deviceof simple, durable and eflicient construction that is adapted to bereadily attached to an engine and which will positively prevent thestarting handle from receiving a backward motion 1n case a reverseimpulse is imparted to the shaft by a premature explosion during theoperation of cranking, the invention being especially applicable foruse'in connection with explosion engines of automobiles, motor boats andthe like.

The ordinary starting mechanism forexlosion engines includes a clutch towhichv .15 connected an operating or cranking crank kick back, but inorder to accomplish this disconnecting movement the crank in some ofthedevices is necessarily pushed forward, which forward movement in somecases may prove as serious as a backward kick of the same; I

My improved device provides .a clutch which serves as a positive safetyelement to receive the shock and prevent its being transmitted in anyway to the hand of the operator. To accomplish this in a simple andpractical manner the starting handle is prevented from turning backwardby a clutch. A guard or relief pin or member is inserted between thecrank shaft and the clutch and starting handle, which member is adaptedto be ruptured or broken by the force of the backward kick of thepiston, so as to relieve the shock on the crank pin to prevent damage tothe engine and at the same time to prevent an excessive shock acting onthe clutch, thus entirely removing the danger usually accompanying thecranking of an explosion engine. WVith these and other objects in view,the lnventlon consists of certain novel features of construction, aswill be more fully described and particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Specification of Letters Patent.Patented D439 28 1915 is a side elevation of my improved devicepartially in section,-in position to be connected to the crank shaft ofan engine. Fig. 2 is a front elevation showing the clutch member withthe front plate or casing removed, also showing the hub, shaft andrelief pin in section, on line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the relief pin. Fig. 4 is a front elevation or sectional view online 44 of Fig. 1, showing the crank handlein section, the sameconnected by a ratchet to the starting mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of the engine crankshaft to one end of which is secured a ratchet toothed collar 2. Acorresponding ratchet collar 2, held normally out of engagement withcollar2by spring 3, is fixed to the end of the starting shaft 3, whichshaft is made in two parts having a front section 4, the same being connected at the point 4 by the relief pin 5 so that they will be rotatedin unison. The rear portion 3 of this shaft receives its hearing at 6 inthe casing 7, which casing is provided with a flange 8 adapted to berigidly secured by means of bolts. 9 to the engine base 10, or otherconvenient place.

A cap 11 provided with an outwardly projecting hub 12 is secured at 13tothe casing'7 by means of bolts 14, which hub forms a supporting bearingat 15 for the front end of the starting shaft 4. The out side of theinner end of shaft 4 is squared as at 16, on which portion is slidablymounted a roller clutch plate 17, see Figs. 1 and 2. The outer peripheryof this clutch plate is provided with a plurality of beveled facednotches or teeth 18, and in each notch is loosely mounted a roller 19.The rolls in these notches on one side of the center will naturally,owing to their specific gravity, follow out on the incline face and runin contact with both it and the internal surface of the casing wherebyan effort to turn this tween the inner wall of the starting case tion 4of said shaft.

and the face of the teeth positivelypreventing a movement in thatdirection.

The relief or rupture pin 5 is preferably made square and is turned downat 21, see

Figs. 1, 2 and 3, forming a weaker portion or neck where the. pin isdesign'ed to break or part by the undue strain f the engine shouldreceive a reverse impulse by a premature explosion during the operationof cranking. One end ofthis pin is loosely iiiserted into acorresponding socket in one end of the starting shaft 3, and theopposite end fits loosely into a correspondingly square socket in theabutting end of the outerpor- The outer end of the pin receiving hole inthis portion of the shaft is'co'unterbored at 20 for a short distance,said counter-bored portion being large enough so as not to engage thepin 5. By

this construction the broken end of the pin,"-

will project fromshaft 3 so as to be easily taken hold of and removedwhen shaft 4 is withdrawn from its bearing.

A central hole 22 is made in shaft 4 so that a rod may be insertedtherein to knock out the relief pin when the end is left therein afterbeing broken off. The outer end of this shaft 4 is provided with aflange 22 and is turned down at 23 to receive the ratchet collar 24which is keyed thereon at 25, see Fig. 1. A starting handle 26 isprovided with a hub 27 which is adapted to slip over the collar 24, andthe handle is provided with a ratchet pin :28 pressed downward by thespring 29 to engage the slots 30 in said ratchet collar. Both the handleand the collar are retained in position on this shaft by means of thenut 30 and Washer 30*. The pin 31 which is pressed inward by the spring32, is adapted to engage the annular recess 33 in the shaft 4 for thepurpose of retaining this portion of the shaft normally in its outwardor disengaged position.

The operation of the device may be more fully described as follows: Inorder to connect the starting mechanismto the crank shaft it isnecessary to press the same inward in the usual way until the teethofthe two clutch members 2 and 2 are in mesh. The handle 26 may then bemoved. around on its ratchet until in the most advantageous position forstarting when by a revolution more or less of said handle the engine isreadily started, but if for any reason the charge in the engine cylindershould explode prematurely the crank starts backward suddenly and with apowerful impulse, and if not provided with a safety attachmentthisbackward kick would be transmitted directly to the operator whichwould in most cases break his arm or inflict other serious or painfulinjuries. To entirely obviate the possibility of such an accidentoccurring, I have divided the starting shaft into two parts 3 and 4: andconnected the same by ineansof a safety or relief pin, which is turneddown or reduced at one point 21 until its strength at this point isa'little greater than is required to transmit the power through theoperating handle which is necessary for starting the engine. A clutch 17is then mounted on the square end of that portion of the shaft to whichthe operating handle is connected to positively and effectually preventthe handle from being turned backward. By this construction when apremature explosion takes place in the cylinder as it is impossible forthe starting handle to turn backward the relief pin 5 is at once twistedoff at the point 21, thereby allowing the engine crank shaft toturnbackward and relieve the engine mechanism, at the same timeeffectually preventing this reverse kick from affecting the operatorwhile cranking the engine. 5 1a order to replace this severed relief pinby a fresh one it is only necessary to remove the outer portion of theshaft 4 by raising the retaining spring pin 31, remove the'broken pieceof the pin from each end of the shaft, insert a new one and slip theouter portion, back in position, which may be quickly and readilyaccomplished, and the device'has been restored to working conditionagain. v

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction andarrangement of parts herein shown and described, nor to the variousdetails thereof, as various forms and arrangements of parts may beemployed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

My improved device is very effective in its operation and by its use itis impossible to be injured by a premature explosion in the cylinderwhile cranking the engine.

. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is i 1. In a device of the characterdescribed, the'coinbination of an engine shaft with a startinghandle,means whereby said handle may be temporarily connected; to said shaft,aclutch for preventing a backward motion of. said handle, and a pinbetween said con-.

necting means and said handle, the same being adapted to be severed andallow said shaft to turn'backward while said handle is held againstrotation.

1,166,849 tit tions of said starting shaft together, said pin beingadapted to be severed by a reverse impulse of the engine shaft wherebysaid shaft is allowed to be turned backward without moving said handle.

3. A starting device for engines, comprising a divided starting shaft,means for temporarily connecting one portion of said shaft to the engineshaft, :1 starting handle on the opposite portion of the starter shaft,a friction clutch on the latter portion of said shaft to prevent thesame from turning backward, a fixed casing for said clutch, a pinnon-rotatably held in the abutting ends of said divided shaft foroperatively connecting the two together, said pin being adapted to besevered by a reverse impulse of the engine shaft whereby said shaft isallowed to be turned backward without moving said handle.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of an engineshaft with a starting shaft, said starting shaft being divided, a clutchfor connecting one portion of said shaft to the-engine shaft, a startinghandle on the opposite portion of said shaft, a clutch connected to saidhandle portion to prevent the same from turning backward, a pin foroperatively connecting the two portions of said starting shaft together,said pin being adapted to be sev red by a reverse impulse of the engineshaft whereby said shaft is allowed to be turned backward without movingsaid handle, and means whereby one portion of the starting shaft may bereadily withdrawn for the purpose of removing and renewing the rupturedpin.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR I. CLARK.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLow, E. I. OGDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

